During the reign of the Emperor Diocletian, the twelve-year-old Vitus lived in Sicily. Endowed with the grace of the Holy Spirit, he possessed deep faith in the true God. Thus, he was granted the power to work miracles, to heal illnesses, and to lead people to the true faith.
When the governor Valerian learned of the young saint’s activity, he summoned Vitus’s father and ordered him to turn his son away from Christianity. Enraged, the father began to beat Vitus, who, without being afraid of the threats, continued to confess his faith. The saint kept the image of Christ in his heart and on his lips, praying and receiving consolation from the Lord.
His family persisted in their efforts to bring him back to paganism. Vitus rejected the idols as lifeless creations and remained steadfast in his conviction. When the governor grew furious, Vitus’s father, broken with grief, attempted to save him.
Eventually, the saint was brought to trial, where he courageously confessed his faith in Christ, for which he endured severe tortures.
Seeing the saint’s miracles, the governor continued to try to convert him to idolatry. However, the saint would not change his mind. After many hardships, he remained unharmed, a fact that only increased the emperor’s rage.
In the end, Saint Vitus, together with his teacher Modestus and Crescentia, was executed. Before his death, the saint prayed for the salvation of all the faithful and asked God to show mercy.
His body was buried with great honor, while his teachings and miracles continue to inspire people to this day.
